


What the Ballads Don't Tell

by mariagvogel



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Angst and Feels, Cora is still Cora too, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Family Feels, Feels, Found Family, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Medieval AU, Not literally, Outlaw Bandit, Outlaw Queen - Freeform, Regina is a bandit and Snow is the Evil Queen, Remember that weird AU episode for season 4 finale?, Robin is still Robin, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow burn friendship, They are not really enemies, This Was Supposed To Be A One Shot, Zelena is a scared little mouse, and got way out of hand, at least according to Regina, but rivals I guess, mills sisters, well this is set there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:00:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23413465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariagvogel/pseuds/mariagvogel
Summary: Bandit Regina is about to be captured by the Evil Queen Snow White when Robin Hood comes to the rescue. And much to Regina’s dismay, after their paths cross again thanks to a scared redhead called Zelena, it’s going to be difficult to keep them apart.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Wicked Witch of the West | Zelena, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood, Robin Hood & Wicked Witch of the West | Zelena
Comments: 25
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ailec_12](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailec_12/gifts).



> I don't even know what to say about this, other than I wrote it by request of Ailec_12 and it was supposed to be a one-shot, but it ended up being 100k+ words and it took me 3 years to write. I wasn't going to upload it because I didn't think anyone would be interested in reading it, but given how things are right now in the world, I figured having more fics available is a good thing.  
> It is completed, I just need to revise each chapter before uploading it, so I guess I'll update quite regularly.  
> I hope you like it, and any comments are welcome and greatly appreciated.
> 
> Stay safe, stay home and enjoy!

“I had the situation under control!”

“A simple ‘thank you’ would suffice!”

Regina really wished she could give the stranger who had just saved her life a witty answer, but she had spent the scarce breath she had left on the previous sentence. Her heart was pounding faster than ever, as if it wanted to outrun the stranger and his horse and Regina herself; anything to get away from Snow White’s iron grip.

She could still feel the Evil Queen’s grasp, her hand going through her chest and clutching her heart, ready to rip it out and turn it into dust before Regina’s eyes. She had seen her end in Snow’s icy smile; she had known she was going to die.

But she hadn’t.

Instead, an arrow had hit the door of the Queen’s carriage, causing it to slam into Snow’s face. And before Regina could realise what was going on, she was on horseback with an unknown man, speedily leaving behind the royal carriage. And she was positively alive.

She was still trying to wrap her mind around the idea when the stranger stopped the horse and jumped off. He extended his hand to help her, but she rejected it and got off on her own.

“I told you I didn’t need rescuing,” she snapped. Perhaps if she was haughty enough, he wouldn’t notice that her legs were shaking and her heart was still racing.

The man smiled brightly.

“Believe me, I’m already questioning helping the competition.”

Regina let out a confused laugh.

“Competition?”

She watched the man closely and she noticed the bow and arrows on his back and his green hooded cape. She had heard tales about it. About him.

“Robin Hood?”

It wasn’t really a question, and he knew it.

“Well, I’m not Friar Tuck,” he answered, his smile even broader. “And you, of course, need no introduction. Everyone has heard of the Regina, the fiercest bandit in the realm.” He held out his hand as he spoke and Regina shook it out of custom, too focused on trying to discern whether his tone was ironic or sincere, and which of those options was worse.

Instead of releasing her hand after the salutation, the outlaw drew it towards his face. She was about to jerk it out of his grasp, a cutting remark about hand-kissing bandits ready to leave her mouth, when she realised he was just examining a bright red cut on her palm. His smile turned into a concerned look.

“Milady, you are injured.”

“It’s nothing,” Regina answered, quickly hiding it behind her back. She hadn’t even noticed it before. “I’m fine. Everything’s under control,” she repeated.

Robin smirked.

“Then perhaps you’d like to tell me what you were doing assaulting the Evil Queen’s carriage in broad daylight.”

The bandit sent him an indignant look.

“Well, I obviously didn’t know it was the Queen’s! I was just trying to get enough money to get out of this bloody kingdom for good. And because of you, I lost my chance. Again,” she added, bitterly.

Robin rolled his eyes.

“You still can’t say ‘thank you’, can you?”

Despite his words, he didn’t seem even slightly offended. His smile was still there, annoyingly sincere and warm. She inhaled sharply.

“Thank you,” she said reluctantly.

“You are welcome, milady.” He made a small bow and then raised his eyebrows. “What is it?” he asked.

It was then that Regina realised she had been staring blankly at him. She shook her head, trying not to blush.

“I just thought you’d be… dirtier.”

Before she had time to regret her words, the outlaw let out a roar of laughter.

“Well, thank you,” he chuckled. “I’m choosing to take that as a compliment.”

She had not meant it as such, but saying it out loud would imply that she cared about what he thought, so she forced herself to keep quiet. An awkward silence ensued as a result. Regina shifted her weight from one leg to the other, suddenly noticing the intensity of the thief’s gaze. Robin seemed lost in thought, and yet his eyes didn’t move away from the bandit. After what felt as an eternity, he finally broke the silence:

“Listen, Regina. I know we have never met, but I have heard many stories about you, and I always admired your skills. Perhaps it was destiny that made our paths cross today.” Despite his flattering words, his tone and expression were grave, preventing his statement from being confused with mere pleasantries. Regina stared, wide-eyed, wondering what he was getting at. All of a sudden, the thief seemed at a loss for words. “The truth is,” he began slowly, then stopped again and ran a hand through his hair. He took a deep breath. “Well, the truth is I’m getting out of this game, and I have been looking for someone to take my place as leader of the Merry Men. And based on what I’ve heard... well, I think you’d be the person for the job.”

Of all the things Robin Hood could have said, this was the last one Regina would have imagined. It took her a few seconds to fully understand what he was asking of her, and only an instant to know that it was a terrible idea.

“Er...” She tried to find the right words, to explain why this couldn’t possibly be, but she couldn’t even know where to begin. “I’m flattered, but… Can’t accept. This forest isn’t the place for me anymore,” she added as an afterthought.

And it was true. She was tired. Tired of hiding, tired of running away. Tired of pretending to be a hero when in fact all she did was try to survive. But she couldn’t say all that aloud, so she just looked down hoping he wouldn’t be offended by her rejection, although she couldn’t guess why she cared so much about it.

“Well, that’s a shame.” He sounded disappointed, but not too upset. Still, Regina feared his insistence, so she made an effort to push the conversation forward.

“What’s driving you out of the business, then?”

Instead of answering immediately, Robin turned towards his horse and started to get it ready.

“I’ll tell you some other day, if our paths cross again.” He got on the horse. “I have to go now,” he announced almost apologetically, “but you’d better get that hand healed.”

“It’s just a scratch,” she objected.

“Still,” he insisted, “there is a tavern a few yards north from here. Tell me you’ll go and wash that cut.”

“I told you it’s just a scratch,” she repeated, half amused by his insistence.

“Please.”

The bandit rolled her eyes.

“All right. I have nowhere else to go for now, anyway,” she complied.

Robin’s bright smile appeared again. He bowed his head in farewell.

“Goodbye then, milady.”

And he spurred his horse and galloped off.

“Bye,” Regina murmured, too late.

By the time Regina reached the tavern Robin Hood had mentioned, she had already decided she wouldn’t stop there. It was still too close to the place she had attacked the Evil Queen (or rather, the Queen had attacked her, she thought with a shiver), and there could be spies around. Besides, she was not tired, and the cut on her hand really was just a scratch. It could wait. Besides, it wasn’t as if she had made any promises, was it? Confound the thief and his white knight manners: she wasn’t a damsel in distress.

She walked for a good four hours before her stomach finally gave way and started to demand some sustenance. Sadly, she had finished her last supplies the day before, and despite her attentive gaze she hadn’t found any edible plants or animals to be hunted. In fact, in the last half hour, the forest around her had thinned into pastures with only a couple of trees here and there, and what was starting to look like a path among them. If she was not mistaken, she was approaching a village.

She hesitated for a few minutes before her grumbling stomach helped her make a decision. She needed to figure out where she was, anyway.

The first building she saw was a tavern. The villagers clearly had priorities. And so did she, she thought with a chuckle as she pushed the door and walked in. It had been a long day, after all.

She ordered two whiskies: one to drink and the other one to clean her wound. Not because she was following Robin Hood’s instructions, but because it was sensible, she told herself firmly, annoyed at how the thief kept popping up in her thoughts.

The bartender put the two glasses on the counter and immediately turned around to attend a well-dressed, red-haired woman who was asking ―rather awkwardly― for a mug of mulled wine. Regina took a sip of her whisky while absent-mindedly watching the interaction. The woman asked about the price before even trying the drink, and the bartender answered politely ―asking for a price three times superior to the real value of the product. Regina rolled her eyes at the audacity of the man, but the redhead was actually reaching for her money bag. She forced herself to ignore it ― It was none of her business. Besides, judging by the quality of her dress, the woman had enough money to care about paying too much. Still, she couldn’t take her eyes off the scene. The silly ginger was counting coins under the half incredulous, half rejoiced glance of the bartender, and putting them on the counter one by one. Her motions were slow, as if she had never handled coins before and she wasn’t sure of her value. Perhaps she was a foreigner, Regina thought, although her accent was perfectly normal. Either way, the sound of the coins and the slow counting was getting on Regina’s nerves, as was the redhead’s apparent inability to notice the bartender’s greedy look. 

“Is that it?” the woman asked finally, an unsure smile on her lips.

“You are missing a gold piece, puppet.”

The woman’s face flushed bright red and Regina couldn’t take it anymore. She finished her whisky in one gulp and hit the counter with the glass, interrupting the redhead’s bashful apology. Both she and the bartender stared at Regina. Oh, hell. So much for not attracting any attention to herself.

“Come on! That wine isn’t worth half that much,” she exclaimed. “Don’t fool her!”

The bartender glared at her and the redhead went suddenly stiff, her eyes wide open with surprise ―and perhaps a shade of fear, Regina noticed.

There were a few seconds of complete silence. Everyone’s attention was fixed on the bartender now. Three women in a nearby table frowned disdainfully.

“How much did he ask for, sweetheart?” asked someone at the back of the tavern. The redhead stuttered, her eyes wider than Regina would have thought possible.

The bartender let out a nervous laugh.

“All right, all right. Let’s leave it at half price, all right? Special offer. Just this once,” he added in a lower tone.

The ginger seemed unable to speak. She counted the money, this time so quickly that Regina was convinced she had no idea how much it actually was, and gave it to the man. He took it even faster, not even looking at it, and disappeared into the back-room.

For the second time that day, Regina found herself trapped in an awkward silence. The other woman sent furtive glances towards her, only to fix her eyes on her wine whenever her gaze met Regina’s. The bandit sighed and played with her second whisky glass, trying ―and failing― to ignore the situation. Why on earth had she decided to get involved in the first place? She had planned on buying some food for the way after she finished her drink, but there was no way she would be getting anything from the tavern now.

A movement by her side caught her attention, interrupting her train of thought. The redhead was hesitatingly approaching her, her lips pressed and her fingers white from holding the mug too tightly. She stopped a couple of steps away from her, as if unsure of how close she was allowed to get.

Regina suppressed a sigh and raised her head to look at her. The eye contact seemed to unfreeze the woman, for she opened her mouth to speak.

“I just― Well, I―” She stopped, bit her lip and started again. “I just wanted to thank you,” she finally blurted out.

Her cheeks flushed red again and she averted her eyes. Her shoulders were slightly hunched, as if she were not only embarrassed but even slightly scared. Regina's dismissive comment died on her lips.

“It’s okay,” she said instead, waving her hand to play it down. “He was being an asshole. I don’t like it when people take advantage of others. It was just the right thing to do, I guess.”

Her tone was ironic, but the redhead didn’t seem to notice it. 

“It was,” she agreed, a bit more confidently. “But doing it must have taken courage. I’m truly grateful.” A shy smile brightened her face. “My name is Zelena, by the way.”

“I’m Regina.” The answer came automatically, without a second thought. When she realised what she had said, it was already too late. 

It was like a spell. Zelena’s blue eyes opened wider than ever as she looked at her in awe.

“Regina?” she repeated. “As in the bandit who fights the tyranny of the Evil Queen?” She must have seen the alarm in the bandit’s eye, because she quickly added: “Don’t worry, I’m not telling anyone.”

And that was the reason why she shouldn’t go around playing the hero while she was on the run. She sighed.

“I guess I should give a fake name next time.”

Zelena smiled again.

“Well, thank you, Regina.”

The brunette shrugged.

“It’s nothing, really,” she repeated. “Forget about it.”

As if to reinforce her last statement, she turned her attention towards her second whisky, wondering whether it wouldn’t be better to drink it than to waste it on cleaning a scratch.


	2. Chapter 2

Zelena was not used to people being kind to her. Except for her fiancé, who was a welcome exception, the scarce people she knew were polite but cold at best, and those who didn’t know who she was usually didn’t bother interacting with her, politely or otherwise.

And then, of course, there was Cora. Zelena knew her mother loved her, but she wouldn’t describe her ―she wouldn’t dare describe her as ‘kind’. “Kindness is useless if you want to become someone in this life,” she would say. “You can pretend to be kind if need be, but don’t forget that people won’t be nice to you unless they want something. You don’t survive by being kind; you survive by being strong.”

Zelena knew she was right. No matter what childish fairytales said, everything in this life was an interested exchange. Even marriage; even love. And yet, the bandit Regina had helped her on her own initiative without asking anything in return. She hadn’t even made fun of her evident lack of knowledge about the price of things in the village. Zelena must have looked ridiculous, being so easily deceived, but the other woman hadn't even laughed or mocked her. She took a sip of mulled wine ―it was stronger and sourer than the one she was used to having at home, but she didn’t dare not drink it after everything that had happened― and looked at the bandit again. She hadn't touched her second drink yet. Instead, she grabbed the edge of her already mistreated shirt and tore a stripe. Zelena couldn't help but staring at her, bewildered. What was she doing?

The brunette raised her glass over her injured hand and suddenly Zelena understood. But she couldn't possibly pour the alcohol on her own wound, could she? It must be incredibly painful. It occurred to her that maybe she should offer her help, but she was paralysed observing the process.

Regina began to wash the cut with the whisky. Judging by the way she gritted her teeth, it clearly stung, and yet she didn't seem too bothered about it. Zelena opened her mouth in admiration. She seemed used to that kind of thing, and it struck her how brave the bandit must be, not just for healing her own wounds, but for the fact that she didn't seem to fear being hurt in the fight. Zelena had felt her share of pain through the years, too, but she still feared it. For a moment she wished she could be as brave as Regina, but she knew she would never be. A small sigh escaped through her lips.

Suddenly, the bandit's eyes met hers and Zelena flinched, feeling somewhat guilty. Regina sent her an annoyed look; she clearly knew she had been watching her. Zelena fixed her eyes on her mug, abashed. She shouldn't have come. Her mother was right: it wasn't a good idea. Cora had only consented to her daughter going out because it had been her fiancé's idea and Zelena had assured her that he would be with her all the time. But he had not arrived yet and Zelena was starting to consider the possibility of leaving without having seen him. However, Cora wouldn't like to know she had missed her date with the richest heir in the land now that she had approved it. No; she'd better wait. He would surely arrive soon. She glanced around anxiously, but there was no trace of him. Her eyes wandered around the room and she ended up looking at Regina again. The bandit was now struggling to tie the improvised bandage around her wound.

Zelena hesitated. Should she offer to help her? She would like to do something for her, but she wasn't sure what the bandit's reaction would be. Still, Regina had been good to her. Even if she didn't want her help, Zelena felt she must offer it. She knew she was not brave, but she could bear rejection nevertheless.

"Regina?" she called, her voice barely audible over the noise of the tavern.

The brunette raised her eyes with an impatient look.

"Would you like… I could tie up that bandage for you, if you want."

"Oh." Regina’s dark eyes seemed to soften a little and Zelena relaxed ever so slightly. "Well... yes, thank you."

The ginger suppressed a relieved sigh. She took the bandage from Regina's hand and sat beside her. The bandit didn't make a gesture while she carefully wrapped it around the wound, but she let out a low groan when she tied it up with a tight knot.

"Sorry!" Zelena exclaimed at once. She released the hand without even thinking, her stomach flipping at the thought of what an angry Regina could do to her. Why couldn’t she do anything right.

The bandit’s voice interrupted her train of thought.

“Hey, it’s okay, it was just a pinch.” She raised her now bandaged hand and observed it with an approving look. Her lips parted in a small smile. "You’ve done a good job. Thank you".

Hesitatingly, Zelena smiled back.

"No need to thank me, really. It’s the least I could do. You were really kind before.” The brunette didn’t seem in a conversational mood, but the redhead felt the need to keep talking to fill the upcoming silence. “ I don't usually come to this kind of place," she explained, in an attempt to justify her ignorance. “Not that there is anything wrong with it,” she added, quickly correcting herself, “but I― I don’t go out quite often.”

She sounded pathetic. Nothing she could say would fix the situation, and a tight knot formed in her throat. What would Regina think of her now? Once again, her thoughts went back to her mother. Cora was right: she was much better off staying at home.

Regina wasn’t really interested in anyone’s life, but there was something touching about the way Zelena spoke, a curious mixture of shyness and honesty that seemed at the same time childish and more mature than it could be expected. 

“Well, you don’t lose much for not coming here, to be honest,” she replied, gesturing towards the bartender in a not very subtle way.

The ginger blushed.

“I only came here to meet my fiancé,” she said. “He loves the village and wants to show me every part of it. But... he is late”.

Regina wasn’t used to this kind of conversation. She tried her best not to shrug her shoulders and thought of an adequate answer.

“Well, I’m sure he’ll come soon,” she ventured, feeling quite ridiculous. “And if he doesn’t, he’s not worth it.”

Zelena shook her head, a sad smile on her lips.

“He is a really good man, actually. If it wasn’t for him… Oh! Look, there he is!”

Relieved that confession time was over, Regina followed the redhead’s gaze. There was a man on the doorstep, glancing around him as if looking for someone. Zelena immediately got up and waved her hand to call his attention. He saw her and began to walk towards them, with a wide smile on his face. A familiar smile.

Oh, no. Not him.

"Robin!" Zelena greeted, approaching him with a cheerful expression. “I’m so glad you are here!”

They finally reached each other. The man took the ginger’s hand and kissed it.

"Hello, my dear. Sorry I'm— late."

The sudden stop before the last word made Regina know that he had finally seen her. His smile froze and the brunette could see his efforts to conceal the surprise he was experiencing.

Zelena misinterpreted his look as simple curiosity and proceeded to introduce them.

“Robin, this is Regina. Regina, this is―”

“Robin of Locksley. At your service.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has left kudos so far, and special thanks for the comments. I really, really appreciate it! <3 <3 <3
> 
> I hope you enjoy this update. We finally get to see Robin, Zelena and Regina interacting, and I have to say I loved writing the dynamics of their conversation, so I hope you like reading them, too!

Regina couldn’t believe her eyes. Or rather her ears. _Locksley_. Even she, stranded from the world as she was by living in the woods, had heard the name. The Locksleys were one of the richest and more influential families in the land. But _this_ Locksley― hooded or not, she could not fail to recognise him. After all, it had barely been a few hours since they’d seen each other.

And to think that she had hoped to never see him again.

She was suddenly aware that some sort of answer was expected after Zelena’s introduction. Her lips parted, yet before anything could come out she caught Robin’s eyes. He sent her a warning look, quick but unmistakable. The bandit understood: Zelena knew nothing about Robin Hood. She examined him again. His hooded cloak was gone, and so were his bow and arrows. He was excellently dressed now, with clean, elegant clothes, and he seemed to have combed his hair, although it had gone a bit messy again, probably from the ride. Still, he didn't look like an outlaw— he looked like royalty. And that, she realised suddenly, was how she was supposed to treat him like.

Her upbringing took over and she dropped into a courtesy.

“It’s good to meet you, milord,” she muttered, hoping her low tone would mask her irritation.

“Likewise, milady, but there is no need for such civilities. Robin is enough. I would shake hands, but I see you are injured. You have taken good care of it, I expect?”

It took all of Regina’s self-control not to reveal her rage at these words.

“It was nothing,” she said through clenched teeth. He seemed about to reply, but she was faster. “Quite an unremarkable accident, in fact. Unlike meeting the distinguished Robin of Locksley. Such an interesting name,” she added, provokingly.

The thief’s only reaction was to raise an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. If he was alarmed, he was hiding it well. For a moment, Regina feared she had gone too far. He was a powerful man, after all, and if she knew his secret, he also knew hers.

“Not quite, I’m afraid. Just named after my father, as you’d expect from boring old families,” came the reply.

His tone was calm, even friendly, and Regina thought she could hear a peace offering in it. She didn’t trust it —him—, but she quickly decided it was safer to play along.

“I see,” she said neutrally. She nodded ever so slightly, hoping he would understand she accepted the truce.

Before she could think of anything to add, Zelena intervened:

“Robin, don’t you recognise her?” Her voice lowered into a whisper. “She is the real Regina, the bandit!”

“Is she?” His lips parted into what could only be described as a cheeky smile. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognise you, milady. You seem... dirtier in the posters.”

“And you seem―” She bit her tongue just in time. “You seem a bit too diplomatic to be a Locksley,” she finished, faking a smile.

Robin shrugged his shoulders.

“What can I say? I’m the black sheep of the family.”

A short silence followed, but before Regina could use it as an excuse to say her goodbyes, Zelena spoke again:

“Regina has been very kind to me a while ago, Robin. She has helped me.”

“Has she indeed? How come?”

To Regina’s despair, Zelena spared no detail in her answer, summarising for him the previous events, shyly confessing her poor knowledge of the prices and what she described as Regina’s brave intervention. The brunette felt herself blush as Robin thanked her for what she had done.

“It was nothing,” she said again, and as he opened his mouth to insist, she added: “If you really want to thank me, just don’t be late next time you are meeting her.”

He smirked.

“You are absolutely right. I promise I won’t linger along the way next time for _any_ reason,” He sent her a meaningful look that, of course, went completely unnoticed by Zelena.

“Did you have anything important to do?” asked the latter, interested.

“Oh, not really. Just some boring business to sort out, you know.”

Regina had to remind herself that she could not punch someone in the face for being a cocky bastard, no matter how mad he was driving her.

“But I’m here now, darling,” Robin added, putting his arm around Zelena’s shoulders. 

The redhead looked away shyly, but a tiny smile showed in her lips. Regina saw her opportunity to flee.

“Well, I should be going,” she said, getting up.

"No!" 

Both Robin and Regina looked at Zelena, surprised by her outburst. She blushed.

"I mean," she corrected herself, lowering her tone, "why don't you stay and have lunch with us?"

She stole a glance at Robin after she spoke, as if looking for his confirmation. Regina couldn’t help but notice that her demeanour had changed since his arrival. His presence seemed to make her slightly more confident. She would have been glad for her— if only he weren't lying to her about who he was.

Presently, the outlaw himself interrupted her train of thought by agreeing with his fiancée. "You are right, my dear. It's almost lunch time, Regina, and we owe you this at least for helping Zelena."

"You owe me nothing."

Her voice sounded harsher than she expected, and she silently blamed Robin for that. His presence was making her feel uncomfortable, but she needed to remember it wasn't Zelena's fault. The redhead inspired a certain protectiveness in Regina that she couldn't explain and made her feel quite ridiculous. Still, she tried to soften her voice when she added:

"Besides, I want to reach the next village before nightfall. I'm a bit tired of sleeping in the woods. The Queen’s men could be looking for me around here. I’d better find some hay-stack to spend the night."

“You won’t find anything.” Robin’s tone was so matter-of-fact that it made Regina scowl even though she had no real reason for it. The thief didn’t seem to notice, as he calmly continued his explanation: “The next village is at a day’s journey, and that’s if you don’t stop for longer than an hour in total.Even if you left right now, you would still be walking through the woods at midnight. You’d better spend the night here and leave tomorrow, early in the morning.”

Regina shook her head.

“I can’t do that. If it’s really how you say, the sooner I leave, the better.”

“Or,” Robin argued, “you could stay for lunch and figure out your next move while we eat. An hour or so won’t make much difference if you are to cross the woods at night, but an empty stomach will. And besides,” he added, flashing her a bright smile, “maybe we’ll be able to find an alternative.”

She wanted to refuse— she really did, but she was running out of arguments and her traitorous stomach was dancing in anticipation at the thought of free food. She bit back a sigh and resignedly forced a smile.

“All right, I’ll stay for lunch. But I’ll have to leave soon.”

“Fantastic!” Zelena exclaimed, delighted. “You have to tell us everything about your life! That is,” she checked herself, suddenly blushing, “if you want. You don’t have to…”

“It’s okay,” Regina cut her off. “I know what you mean.”

Zelena’s cheeks were still bright red, but she managed to keep her head up and smile one more time.

Robin chose that moment to intervene again by asking them what they would like to eat. The conversation focused then on the food and who should pay for it. The outlaw was determined to invite the ladies, and the brunette was determined to buy her own lunch.

“I thought you needed money,” argued Robin. 

He didn’t sound exactly sanctimonious, but rather just frustrated at Regina’s stubbornness. Still, the directness of the statement angered the bandit.

"When did I say that?" she retorted, sending him a warning look. If he was willing to play dirty, so was she. 

"You didn't," Robin answered quickly, realising his mistake,"but the Evil Queen is chasing you, and it's obvious you'll need money , whether it is to hide or to flee." 

Regina felt a sudden impulse to punch him in the face.

"I'll manage" she snapped abruptly.

"Please, Regina," intervened Zelena, "just let us invite you this time. It's not much, but I want to help you at least a bit."

She wanted to continue arguing, but something about the redhead’s expression made her hesitate. She desperately tried to come up with a new excuse, but nothing came up. In the end, she complied reluctantly, and was met with bright eyes and a satisfied smile.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I bring a longer chapter this time, so I hope it's not too much! I just wanted to leave things kind of established at last.  
> Once again, thank you so much for the kudos and the comments. I'm probably repeating myself, but they encourage me so, so much!  
> I really hope you enjoy this update. Please do leave a comment if you are reading! I'd love to know what people think.  
> Stay well and safe!  
> <3

The food was brought. As they tasted their broth, the conversation turned towards Regina's plans. The bandit wasn’t thrilled.

"As soon as I get enough money, I'll head to the nearest harbour and find a ship that takes me somewhere far enough from the Enchanted Forest,” she said dismissively, hoping that would be enough to satisfy their curiosity. Unfortunately, she had no such luck.

“But how are you going to get the money?” asked Zelena, her eyes wide open.

“And how do you plan to get to that harbour if you don’t even know how far the nearest village is?” observed Robin, his tone once again perfectly matter-of-fact.

“Well, I’ve managed pretty well until now, thank you.” Regina snapped. Immediately, Zelena went completely quiet and looked away. Whether it was Regina’s harshness or Robin’s possible reaction that scared her, the bandit couldn’t tell, but she felt equally guilty nevertheless. “I mean— Look, I’ll get there one way or another. I don’t need any help.”

Despite her efforts, she didn’t manage to keep all the edge out of her voice. Gods, she wasn’t used to this. She wasn’t made for this. Yet she had better remember her place; no matter how much Robin had insisted she needn’t worry with formalities: both he and Zelena were well above her, and nothing good could ever come out of ignoring that.

Apparently oblivious to Regina’s dark thoughts, Robin cleared his throat and raised his palms.

“I’m sorry, Regina. I didn’t mean to offend you. I don’t doubt you’ll get what you want; I was just trying to say that there might be an easier way.”

Not trusting herself to reply, the bandit just looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

“You see, I have plenty of maps of this land,” the thief explained. “You could have a look at them, if you want. So why don’t you stay a few days while you figure out the best route? I’m sure Granny has some spot where you can sleep, don’t you, Granny?,” he added as an elderly, white-haired woman approached the table to pick up their empty bowls.

Granny glanced at him and then at Regina, frowning. She examined the bandit for a good minute, as if trying to decide whether she would set fire to the curtains if left alone. Regina looked away, uncomfortable. Finally, Granny nodded.

“I could find a place for her”.

Her acceptance was strangely relieving, despite the fact that the idea of actually staying in the village had not crossed the bandit’s mind even for an instant before. Now, however, she found herself surrounded by three pairs of avid eyes and having no actual response.

“Well, I’m grateful, really,” she began, desperately trying to think of a polite way to get out of the situation. “But I’m afraid that wouldn’t be the best idea. I— I have somewhere I need to go. All I need is to get some money to make it work, and I can’t get it while I’m here, so it would only be a delay.”

Granny looked at her over her glasses and Regina felt she was somehow being tested.. The old woman’s piercing eyes seemed to read every secret, every lie she had ever told— even the ones she told herself.

She shook her head slightly. She was being silly. Granny was just judging her because she had refused her offer. Still, she wished the woman would say something. She gazed at Robin and Zelena, but none of them seemed inclined to break the silence. In fact, Zelena’s eyes were fixed on the table, and Regina had the small consolation that the redhead was probably as intimidated as she felt.

At last, after what seemed like hours, Granny spoke again.

“That plan of yours, is it dangerous for someone but yourself?” she asked curtly.

“No.”

“Are you sure that it is what you want to get?”

“Yes.”

“Well then.” Granny’s eyes flashed for a moment. “I have an offer for you.”

Regina swallowed.

“An offer?” she repeated, eyes narrowed despite herself.

“Yes. Listen. The harvest party begins in three days, and I wouldn’t say no to a pair of extra hands. You’ll peel, wash, serve food, clean, and do whatever else is needed, and you’ll get paid at the end of the week according to how useful you have been. You can sleep and eat here, too. What do you say?”

It took Regina more than a few seconds to process everything Granny had said. Her incredulous expression contrasted with Robin’s self-complacent smirk and Zelena’s shy but bright smile. For a moment, she felt a pang of fear. In her experience, things only went so well when something bad was about to happen. However, the three faces waiting for her answer looked kind and empty of worries. They looked safe. Perhaps, she thought, there was nothing wrong with letting herself relax a little. And besides, she really needed the money.

“All right,” she said, her heart beating faster than she would care to admit. “I’m in.”

“Well done.” Granny nodded her head approvingly and left for the kitchen.

Zelena was beaming with delight and Robin seemed glad too, incomprehensible as it was. Seeing them laugh together made Regina wonder ―not for the first time― why the thief didn’t want Zelena to know who he really was. According to the redhead, they were about to marry. It didn’t seem right to keep that kind of thing from your wife’s knowledge. She scowled. Why did she care, anyway?

“Regina? Is there anything wrong with your food?” Robin’s voice brought her back to reality.

“Huh?” She looked down and saw a plate full of stew on the table. Granny must have brought it when she collected their soup bowls, but she had been too preoccupied with everything else to even notice. “Oh, sorry, I was just lost in thought.” She took her fork and filled her mouth to avoid further talk. For once, she was lucky, and for the next while the three of them devoted themselves to enjoy Granny’s food and a few pleasant comments that, thankfully, required no response from the bandit.

After lunch, Robin and Zelena offered to show her the village. She was tired and would have preferred to be left alone for a while, but Zelena’s enthusiasm was far too difficult to say ‘no’ to. Besides, if she was going to stay there, she’d better know the place.

They walked all over the village. Zelena didn’t seem too familiar with it either, so they both listened while Robin told them where the blacksmith’s or the bakery were and which was the best fountain to drink from.

“How can you know so much about this place, Robin?” asked Zelena, her tone full of almost childish admiration.

The outlaw shrugged his shoulders.

“I like to come over here. I get bored at home. But come, I want to show you my favourite spot. It’s not exactly in the village,” he said.

The two women followed him through a path that ascended a small hill in the edge of the village. Most of the path was hidden under trees, but it ended on a clearing near the top of the hill. Robin made a bow as if he were presenting some kind of gift to them and then stepped aside to let them see the space behind him. Both Zelena and Regina were marvelled by the view. The whole village was at their feet, the wooden houses with lighted windows and smoking chimneys, the twisted alleys, the villagers as small as pinheads.

“It looks like a doll house!” exclaimed Zelena, enchanted. “And so tidy— as if everything had its place.”

Regina tried to hide her own delight so that the thief wouldn’t grow too proud, but she couldn’t stop herself from looking keenly, trying to locate Granny’s tavern. As if he was reading her thoughts, Robin pointed it to them. It looked small and neat. Zelena was right: everything had its place. Except for them, thought Regina. Neither of them seemed to belong there. For some reason, the thought made her stomach clench.

“Where do you you two live?” she asked, perhaps too nonchalantly, in an effort to bring her mind back to reality. “Not in the village, I assume.”

Robin shook his head.

“No, not in the village. See that area over there?” He pointed at a large portion of terrain, not different from the rest except that the trees seemed more apart and somewhat orderly. “Well, that belongs to the Locksleys. And the neighbouring land, the one with the big house and the old mill alongside the river, that’s Zelena’s.”

“Not mine,” the ginger corrected. “My mother’s.”

“Well, I can see Zelena’s house,” Regina observed, “but where is the Locksley’s? All I see is trees.” She knew she shouldn’t add what she was thinking, but she couldn’t hold her tongue on time. “Do you live in the woods or something?”

Robin lifted an eyebrow and then let out a laugh.

“Fortunately, I don’t. The house is behind that other hill,” he explained, pointing at a higher elevation. His tone sobered. “Our lands continue right onto the lake and the village after it.”

Regina had thought the Locksley’s territory was big; now she knew it was huge. She tried to hide her surprise, but she couldn’t help wondering why anyone would become an outlaw while having so much land at their disposal.

“That’s why I like this spot,” Robin continued. “Because I don’t see the house, or the lake, or…” He seemed about to add something else, but he just shrugged. “Besides, it’s always quiet here. I like that.”

“It’s really nice,” Zelena agreed, still facing the horizon. She turned after a few seconds. “I hate to say this, but… shouldn’t we go back? My mother…”

“Your mother doesn’t like you to be out late. I know.” Robin smiled.

Zelena blushed, clearly embarrassed, although Robin had not seemed even slightly upset. As they walked towards the village, the Locksley heir talked about Granny and how she had a strong character but a tender heart.

“But don’t tell her I said that,” he warned, “or she’ll skin me and serve me at the Harvest Feast.”

“The Harvest Feast?” repeated Regina.

“Yes. The last day of the party, there is a huge feast. The farmers bring the food throughout the week so that Granny and the ones helping her have time to cook everything in advance. Everybody is invited; everything is free. People collaborate as they can: most villagers help with the decoration before or the cleaning afterwards; only those approved by Granny can get into the kitchen. Merchants usually pay acrobats, jugglers and bards to provide entertainment. Others prefer to sing or play themselves ―with more or less success. But it is a really great party.” The outlaw’s eyes shone as he spoke, and Regina smiled unadvertedly while imagining the scenarios he had described.

“Oh, how I wish I could see all of that,” Zelena sighed.

“Why, but you will, my dear,” Robin replied. She looked at him in surprise. “I’ll bring you. Your mother won’t oppose to your going with your fiancé to a party just weeks before the wedding. I’ll talk to her,” he promised.

Zelena’s dreamy smile fluttered for a second and she looked away.

“There is no need, really. I don’t need to go.”

“I insist.” He squeezed her shoulder and winked his eye. “It will be fun.”

The ginger didn’t seem so convinced, but she didn’t contradict him.

They were again at the door of Granny’s tavern. The sun was setting behind the mountains and the sky had begun to darken in the edges.

“My dear, why don’t you go get a carriage while I talk to Granny about Regina’s stay? That will save us some time. I’ll be out and meet you in a few minutes.”

Zelena hesitated for a second, but she finally nodded.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” she asked Regina, once again blushing as she spoke.

“I’ll be here if you come,” she answered. “And I’ll be glad if you do,” she added quickly, noticing the disappointment on her face.

Surprisingly, she meant it ―for some unknown reason, she somewhat liked the redhead’s company; she just wasn’t used to express that kind of thing, let alone expect someone else to care about it. She tried to smile to prove that she was saying the truth and Zelena smiled back in relief. She looked at Robin.

“Will we come back tomorrow?”

“Why, of course,” he replied. “I have to bring her the maps, as I promised.”

Oh, right. Robin Hood to the rescue. Regina’s eyes hurt from the effort of not rolling them. 

Zelena smiled again and waved goodbye while crossing the square to retrieve a carriage. Meanwhile, Robin opened the door for her. Regina did roll her eyes this time, but she entered the tavern anyway. The outlaw followed her.

“Thank you for not telling her about Robin Hood,” he said immediately after he had closed the door. “I don’t have the time to explain myself now, but I promise it’s for the best. I’ll tell you everything as soon as I can.”

Regina hadn’t expected an explanation; at least not without an enquiry. Although it wasn’t exactly an explanation, she told herself. 

“You should not make promises so hastily,” she snapped, haughty.

“Perhaps you are right. But I intend to keep them.” Without another word, he bowed his head and walked towards the counter, where Granny was busy drying glasses.

“So, is everything all right with Regina’s staying here? Anything I can take care of?” he asked.

“Absolutely nothing,” the woman answered. “I don’t employ people who can’t take care of their own business. If she can work as she promised, neither she nor you will have anything to worry about. And if she doesn’t—”

“Then it will be my problem, not yours” Regina cut in at once.

Granny smiled and nodded her head approvingly. Robin smiled, apparently not in the least offended.

“All right then,” he agreed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, milady.”

He bowed one more time and walked through the door before Regina could protest at the honorific.


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as Robin was outside, Regina let out a big sigh and dropped into a chair. She was oddly exhausted, as if the day had lasted a week. She didn’t even remember the last time she had been engaged in conversation for so long.

She didn’t have much time to rest. After Granny had finished wiping the counters, she called her and led her to the kitchen.

“I don’t have extra rooms here, so you’ll have to sleep in the broom closet,” she said. “That means you’ll be the last one to go to bed and you’ll have to get up really early. Understood?”

Regina nodded.

“Fine. These first three days you won’t have to work all day; you’ll either take the morning shift or the afternoon shift; I’ll let you know the night before. When the party starts, you won’t have so much free time; none of us will.” She made a pause. “You still have time to back down,” she added. “I’ll let you spend the night here anyway, but that’s it.”

Regina sensed the old woman was trying to scare her, but she wasn’t easily scared by hard work. She shook her head resolutely.

“I want to stay,” she said.

“All right. You don’t have to work tonight; we are closing early. There is soup in that pot over there, but I warn you, nobody touches the food in my kitchen without clean hands. You’d better take a bath. Heat the water in the fire and take it to the room at the end of the corridor; there is a bathtub there. You can eat when you come back. And then you should rest; you’ll start working tomorrow morning. Be sure to be ready at sunrise.”

Regina’s heart warmed at the idea of a hot bath and supper.

“I will be ready,” she assured. “Thank you.”

The old woman waved her hand as if Regina’s gratitude had nothing to do with her and left the kitchen without looking back. 

When she woke up, it took her a whole minute to understand that she had actually slept on a mattress. She had been sleeping in the woods or in stables and haystacks for so long that she had almost forgotten how a mattress felt like, even if it was woollen like this one, instead of the ones stuffed with goose feathers that she had once known.

The sun had barely risen ―just a dim light entered through the small window on the closet door―, but she could already hear noises inside the kitchen. She got up, put away the mattress and folded her blanket. She hesitated for a few seconds, but she finally left there her bow and arrows before going out.

Strange as it was, she had liked sleeping in that small room; it reminded her of her favourite hiding place in Snow’s castle, years before everything turned wrong. She shook her head, angry at herself for indulging in those memories. She liked the closet for practical reasons: nobody would look for her there; the Queen’s soldiers couldn’t find her for now. That was the real reason why she had slept undisturbed by nightmares that night, and no some childish remembrance of old feelings of safety.

Granny got her sweeping as soon as she entered the kitchen. After that, she sent her to set the tables. A dark haired young woman was wiping them. She introduced herself as Red, Granny’s granddaughter. She seemed to be still half asleep and didn’t talk much. Regina appreciated the silence. She completed her tasks quickly and returned to the kitchen, where Granny gave her milk and bread for breakfast. Red came in after her and they both ate in silence while Granny cooked pastries, bacon and eggs for the early clients.

After breakfast, Red went to serve the tables and Regina washed the dishes. At some point, Granny gave her a hot bun. “Don’t get used to this,” she warned. Regina didn’t answer; her mouth was already full. The warmth and sweetness of the pastry felt like something from a dream. She made it last as long as she could.

They didn’t have lunch until the flow of clients diminished, which was long after noon.

“Okay, kid, you are done for today,” Granny said. “You haven’t done a bad work, although I could have washed three dishes in the time it took you to wash one. It’s all right,” she added, “I didn’t expect more. As long as you wash them all and don’t break them, I don’t mind how long it takes you. Now go have some lunch and mind your own business for the rest of the day. Gather strength for the Harvest Party; you’ll need it.”

Regina thanked the old woman and carried her food outside, wishing to breathe some fresh air. She sat against the wall and started eating immediately. She wondered if Robin and Zelena would come with maps in the evening as they had promised. However, it wasn’t their faces that she saw approaching the tavern, but that of the bartender who had tried to fool Zelena into paying more for her drink. She looked away ―she was not in the mood for starting a row―, but it was too late: the man had seen her.

“My, my, look who’s here.” He smiled disgustingly. “Our little street rat is eating leftovers. No rich people to buy your food today?”

Regina’s hands longed to slap the man’s face, but she forced herself to stay still. He was an ass, but he worked at Granny’s, too. She offered no answer, hoping that he would get tired and go away.

It wasn’t her lucky day.

He came closer.

“What’s wrong, rat? Has the cat got your tongue?” He laughed at his own joke. “Or are you sad because your friends have forgotten you?”

He was getting too close. Regina got up and gave a step back, sending him a warning look. She regretted having left her bow in the closet; she could have put it to good use now.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he went on. “I am no rich man, but you can be my whore as well, you know. I’ll buy your food instead, and hey, look on the bright side, I don’t have a dumb wife you have to befriend first.”

Before he could say another word, Regina was holding him against the wall, a small dagger pointing right between his legs.

“If you ever call me a whore again,” she warned, “or if you dare as much as looking at the red-haired woman, I swear you will lose whatever you have down there. Am I clear?”

The man’s nostrils widened in fear. He nodded once, unable to speak.

“Fine,” said Regina. But it wasn’t fine. She had taken him by surprise, but she wouldn’t be able to do that again. And he would tell Granny she was crazy, or a criminal, and she would turn her out. She had made a mistake. A big one.

“Let me go,” the man stammered.

Regina hesitated. As soon as she released him, she would lose all power over him. But she had no choice. She glared at him as she stepped back and withdrew the dagger.

“Very well.” A voice intervened before the man could move. Regina glanced out of the corner of her eye to see who it was, although she already knew. “Now, you’d better leave for good and don’t come back here,” Robin said. “Granny will manage without your help. The Locksleys will make sure of it.”

The man’s face grew white as chalk. He didn’t even nod this time ―he just ran away as fast as his legs could carry him.

Regina rolled her eyes before turning to face Robin. The embarrassment and anger outweighed her relief at the man’s departure.

The thief wasn’t smiling this time. Next to him, Zelena stared at Regina, pale and wide-eyed. The brunette tried to fight the blush that threatened to tinge her face, but it was fighting a losing battle. No one seemed to notice, though.

“I’ll make sure Granny never lets that bloody scoundrel in again,” Robin muttered, walking right past her and storming into the tavern.

His rapture left Zelena frozen on the spot and with a terrified look on her face. Still puzzled, Regina tried to approach her, but the redhead took a step back. Regina stopped at once, the other woman’s fear hitting her like a slap She raised her hands in an attempt to calm her down, and it was then that she realised she was still holding the knife, its bare blade shining threateningly on the daylight. She lowered it slowly and put it back in its sheath. The realisation of how she must have looked ―threatening an unarmed man with a knife and then wielding it alone with Zelena― made her waver. She tried to find something reassuring to say, something that could prove the red-haired woman that she was safe. 

“I ―I wasn’t really going to use the knife.” _Very convincing_.

“I know” Zelena said, but everything in her tone and look suggested the opposite. She gulped and then inhaled deeply. “I know,” she repeated. She seemed to be forcing herself to say it, as if the words were a spell to convince herself that she was safe. That Regina didn’t pose a threat for her. Regina couldn’t blame her. No one should trust her.

Why did she care so much, then?

“I’m sorry,” the redhead blurted out all of a sudden. Her face had gone from pale to bright red in a few seconds. “I got nervous; fights always scare me. But Regina, are you all right?”

Something dangerously similar to relief washed over Regina. She looked away.

“I’m fine,” she assured with a tentative smile. “And you? I’m sorry you had to see that,” she added, suddenly frowning. Remembering that asshole’s words still made her clench her fists.

“I’m perfectly well. But it is you who was in danger. You were so brave. And thank you… thank you for defending me,” she added, looking down embarrassedly.

Regina felt herself flushing again as she struggled to find the right words to explain that she hadn’t been brave, but angry. Fortunately, at that moment Robin came out of Granny’s again. He wore a calmer expression now, although his frown hadn’t disappeared completely.

“I’m sorry about that,” he started off. “Regina—”

“Have you brought your maps?” the brunette cut off. She didn’t want to hear him talk about what had happened. She had had enough embarrassment for one day.

She thought Robin would insist, but for once he seemed to understand, because he simply nodded and showed her the bag he was carrying.

“Yes, I have. Shall we go inside?”

“Yes.” 

He stepped aside to let the two women enter first. Regina didn’t even bother rolling her eyes this time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been a while since the last update. It's been a weird mixture of being both busy and unmotivated, but I'll try to keep a somewhat regular schedule. As always, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please let me know what you think in the comments!

Robin quickly spread the maps over one of the tables in an empty corner. They all sat around it looking at all the papers. Robin placed his finger on a particular point.  
“We are here,” he said. “Now, as you can see, there are woods all around. And then, the coast is here.” He pointed at the sea. “That’s the West.”  
“I can see that,” Regina replied, impatient. “So, the fastest way would be to follow this river, right?” She pointed at the blue strip in the map. “It goes a few miles North, but then straight to the coast…” She bent over the table to read the name of the nearest harbour. “…To Grey Haven,” she finished.  
Robin and Zelena exchanged a surprised look and stared at her for a few seconds. Regina stared back at them.  
“What’s wrong?” she asked, confused.   
“Nothing.” Robin reacted quickly. “And yes, that’s a possible path, but…”  
“What’s wrong?” Regina repeated, frowning. “Why did you look at me like that?”  
Zelena blushed again and looked away. Robin seemed slightly embarrassed, too.  
“I’m sorry,” he started. “Please don’t be offended. It’s just that neither of us thought that you could read maps…”  
“Or read at all,” completed Regina, suddenly understanding. She sighed. “Don’t worry, I’m not offended. You had no way to know.” She made a pause. She wanted to go back to talking about routes, but it didn’t feel right to end the conversation like that. She hesitated. “I… I wasn’t a bandit all my life, okay? I had a good family once upon a time.”  
An awkward silence fell upon them. .  
“What― Do you want to tell us what happened?” Zelena managed to ask in a whisper.  
Regina shook her head, suddenly exhausted.  
“I made a mistake,” she said simply.   
Zelena didn’t push. Robin seemed about to add something, but he finally shook his head too.  
“I’m sorry,” he said.   
Regina looked away.  
“Can we just go back to the map?”  
“Let me just thank you first for what you did before,” he answered, trying to meet her eyes. Regina kept avoiding his.   
“You have nothing to thank me for,” she replied, frowning once more. Embarrassment and anger came back to her all of a sudden. “And you shouldn’t have intervened. I didn’t need your help.”  
Robin seemed about to roll his eyes.   
“I know you didn’t,” he said, and Regina wondered if he really thought so. “But I couldn’t let that bastard…”  
“You couldn’t let him do what?” interrupted the brunette. “Say stupid things? I can defend myself from that, thank you. I don’t need anyone to use their family name to protect me.”  
She was being utterly ungrateful and stupid, and she knew it. Without Robin’s intervention, she would have been kicked out of Granny’s for good. But she already owed him her life for having saved her from Snow. She didn’t like adding to that debt. And she hated the idea of his having heard the conversation with that bloody bastard. So she just let her anger overcome any other thing and kept her frown until Robin sighed.  
“As you wish, milady,” he complied, drawing the map closer to him. “Let’s see that river, then.”  
The danger of an uncomfortable conversation had passed. Regina suppressed a sigh and chose to ignore his use of ‘milady’. Randomly taking a map to hide her face behind, she tried to organise her thoughts. She glanced around. Zelena was extremely quiet and still, and the bandit felt bad for having argued with Robin in front of her. But suddenly it struck her that it wasn’t simply their argument. Her own words came back to her making her want the earth to swallow her. “I don’t need anyone to use their family name to protect me.” Wasn’t that what Zelena’s marriage would do for her? Why couldn’t she just think before opening her mouth?   
“Regina? Do you hear me?” Robin’s voice brought her back to reality.  
“Sorry, what?” she muttered, putting down the map. She looked at Zelena and noticed that she looked slightly startled, as if she had also been lost in thought.   
“I was saying that the river crosses one of the biggest cities in the realm,” Robin explained. “There will be lots of the Queen’s guards there. I don’t think it’s a safe route.”  
Regina struggled to focus on the paper and looked at the city the thief was pointing at.  
“Well, I can just follow the river up to there, then go around the city through the woods and go back to the river after that.”   
“Still, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he insisted. “The woods around there might be watched, too. Or you could get lost.” “I won’t get lost,” she protested.  
“Not lost forever, but it’s an unknown forest and you could lose some days trying to figure out the way. Add the time you waste on the detour and the route won’t be as short as it seems. There may be a better alternative.”  
Regina forced herself to consider the thief’s words instead of turning them down directly. She had to admit that he wasn’t completely wrong, although all she wanted to do was to make a decision quickly so that she could leave at any time she wanted. She had to remind herself that she didn’t have the money to make it, and she doubted she would ever find an easier way to get it. So she sighed and tried to speak calmly. She decided to keep her sentences short, though.   
“Any suggestion?” she asked.  
Robin seemed surprised by her question, as if he had been waiting for her to reject the idea. She raised her eyebrows, secretly pleased by the thief’s puzzled expression.  
“Well, not yet,” he admitted. “But that’s what the maps are for.”   
“As far as I know,” Zelena intervened, “Grey Haven doesn’t usually have much traffic. I― I’ve never been there, of course, but I’ve been reading a bit, and I think it’s a small harbour. You may not find many ships or destinations there.”  
“Okay, then, Grey Haven is out of the question.” Regina sent her a grateful smile. “Is there any big harbour nearby?”  
Zelena was about to answer when Granny approached them.  
“Sorry to interrupt, folk, but the place is getting crowded and I need some help on the counter now that I’ve lost a bartender.” She glanced at Regina, who lowered her head.  
“I’m sorry about that,” she muttered, embarrassed.   
“Don’t be. I’ve been waiting for a reason to get rid of him for a long time. But you’ll have to work for two while I find someone else, understood?”  
“Understood.”  
“Fine. Then get up and come wash dishes ―we’re running out of them.”  
“All right.” Regina looked at the other two. “I don’t know how long…”  
“It’s okay.” Robin nodded. “We’ll go for a walk. If you’ve finished when we come back, we’ll keep looking at this. If you haven’t, we’ll come again tomorrow. I will leave the maps here anyway.”  
Regina felt suddenly worse than ever for having argued with him. After all, he was doing everything he could to help her for no reason. She forced herself to smile, ever so slightly.  
“All right,” she said. “And thank you. Both of you.”  
Zelena smiled back and started assembling the maps together. Robin smiled, too.  
“There’s nothing to be thanked for, milady.”  
Regina’s moment of patience ended right there.   
“Stop calling me that,” she complained. “You know damn well I’m a peasant.” The maps were all put together. Instead of answering, Robin laughed and turned around to leave the tavern. Zelena waved her hand and followed him, still smiling.   
“See you soon!” she exclaimed before going out the door.  
Regina took the maps and carried them to the broom closet before going to the kitchen.  
“About time,” greeted Granny, putting a piece of soap on her hand as she entered. “Come on, I wouldn’t like having to regret the loss of that arsehole of Pete.”  
“You won’t,” promised Regina. She took a deep breath and proceeded to face the pile of dirty dishes. At least she didn’t have to talk to them.


	7. Chapter 7

Regina was still busy when Robin and Zelena came back to Granny’s, so they decided to meet the next evening and go through the maps again. She couldn’t hold a sigh of relief when they left. The day had been long and difficult, and she was too tired to keep thinking of what to say or how to react. And yet, she couldn’t stop thinking about her words and reactions that day. She lay on her narrow mattress piercing the darkness with her eyes while she waited to fall asleep, but the man’s nasty words, Robin’s intervention, Zelena’s frightened expression and her own angry words later kept dashing through her mind for a long time. 

She was glad to get up next morning. She had had a bad night, and the scarce hours she managed to sleep she had been riddled with nightmares she couldn’t remember when se woke up. The perspective of spending the morning engaging her mind in nothing more than mechanical tasks and having to face no one but Granny and Red made her quite happy to leave her bed.

Of course, things didn’t go as planned. The tavern hadn’t been open for a whole hour when Red entered the kitchen.

“Regina? Robin is out there; he wants to see you.”

Regina looked at Granny, half hoping that she would tell her she couldn’t go, but the woman just took the basket of peas Regina had been shelling and gave her a nod.

“You can rest for an hour or so,” she told her. “You can finish this later.”

Trying to look grateful, Regina went out the door to find Robin waiting for her at the bar. He greeted her with a smile and she responded with a curt nod.

“How are you doing?” asked Robin. “Is everything okay with Granny?”

“Yes, everything is fine,” she replied. She realised her words sounded dry and tried to think of something to add. “Is Zelena coming?” 

The thief shook his head.

“She’ll come in the afternoon. Actually, Regina, I’ve come to talk to you alone. I owe you an explanation.”

“You owe me nothing,” she said quickly. And it was true. The thief had helped her more than she could feel comfortable with.

“Still, I would like you to know my reasons,” he insisted. “If you don’t mind.” 

Regina hesitated. Little as she liked it, she didn’t feel she had the right to demand an explanation about his secret identity; even more so when she was also concealing her true self from everybody else but Robin and Zelena. But it was precisely Zelena that made her doubt. To be an outlaw was an important secret; the kind of secret you couldn’t –shouldn’t– keep from someone you were planning to spend the rest of your life with. And even though she knew it was none of her business, she couldn’t help feeling bad for concealing what she knew in front of Zelena. It might turn easier after knowing why. 

She complied with a nod.

“Shall we go outside? Or would you like something to drink?” Robin offered, earning an impatient look from her.

“I’m fine. But let’s go outside,” she accepted, getting up. Granny’s didn’t seem like a good place to share secrets; there was always someone around.

They went to the back of the tavern, where they sat on a wooden bench under the apple tree. Regina didn’t speak, waiting for the thief to start the conversation. He tried to smile, although the gesture wasn’t bright as usual, but self-conscious. His obvious discomfort made Regina uncomfortable, too.

“Listen, you don’t have to tell me anything. I won’t tell on you anyway. Why would I? You know who I am and you could accuse me too, so there is no need for this.”

“I would never accuse you!” he protested. “I thought that much was clear. I’ve saved your life twice.”

“Once and a half,” she corrected, annoyed, “and I never asked for it. But my point is, you don’t have to convince me to keep your secret; I already owe it to you.” 

The outlaw shook his head.

“Regina, I’m not telling you because of that. I’m telling you because it is the right thing to do.”

The bandit rolled her eyes.

“Then speak, for heaven’s sake!” she blurted out.

She regretted her outburst as soon as she said it― she didn’t mean to be so rude. Robin didn’t seem offended, however. In fact, his smile seemed to grow sligthly more confident. He cleared her throat.

“I know it may seem like I don’t trust Zelena,” he started. “But I do trust her. You’ve seen how she reacted when she met you; she would never betray your trust, nor mine. And that is why I haven’t told her: because I want to protect her.” He made a pause, as if waiting for Regina to contradict him, but the bandit said nothing. He went on. “Being an outlaw is dangerous ―we both know that. And I don’t mind putting myself in danger, but I have no right to risk Zelena’s safety too. The lesser she knows, the better.

“However, I know that’s not enough. If I get caught, people will suspect her. They’ll think she helped me, they’ll think she knew and she helped me. They may even torture her to unveil my secrets. And I would never forgive myself for that. That’s why I’m planning to leave the Merry Men as soon as I get married,” he explained. “It’s too heavy a secret to keep it any longer.”

His honesty and concern were somewhat moving, and that made Regina uncomfortable. She felt she had to say something, offer some kind of response, but she didn’t know what.

“You must love her a lot,” she uttered at last, “to leave that part of your life behind for her.”

Robin lowered his gaze and a crease appeared on his forehead.

“It’s not exactly that,” he replied in a low, somewhat guilty tone. “Ours iss ―well, it is an arranged marriage. Our families want to unite our lands to gain power.”

“ _What_?” This time, Regina didn’t care whether she was being rude. “You are leaving the Merry Men ―you’ll stop being Robin Hood― just because you want to own more lands?”

“It’s not like that,” he argued. “I don’t care about the lands, and I _do_ care about Zelena. She is like a sister to me.”

Regina frowned with disgust. “A sister.” 

“Or a friend,” he added quickly. “What I mean is that I worry about her. Our families arranged this marriage years ago; I would only get her into trouble if I broke the engagement, and she doesn’t deserve that.”

“But she does deserve to be forced to marry, right?”

“No, but they will force her to marry anyway. At least we know each other.” 

“Oh, you know each other. Well, that fixes everything,” she gave him a scornful look. “And here I thought you were different from the rest of the nobility. But you are exactly like all the others: you talk about justice and ideals, but it is all a game to you. You are willing to forget about all that and do what you are expected to do.”

Robin’s frown went deeper after Regina spoke, and his stare became cold as ice.

“You are speaking of things you don’t quite understand, Regina. I’m just one person. The Merry Men can go on without me. I can use the name of my family to influence people; I can do good things not only as an outlaw. But if I don’t do what my family wants, they’ll put me out, and I won’t be able to help but with my bow and arrows. As Robin of Locksley, I can make things happen. As Robin Hood, I’m just...”

“Just like me,” completed Regina in a low voice. “Just a peasant.”

The outlaw’s patience was reaching its end.

“Now you are being unfair, Regina. You know that’s not what I meant. You accuse me of abandoning my ideals? And what are _you_ doing, leaving the Enchanted Forest? You said it yourself: you are running away. The difference between you and me is that I’m doing this for someone else, while you are doing it for yourself.” 

Regina felt herself go pale. Robin had left her speechless, and her inability to find a response made her feel even angrier. She clenched her fists so tight that she felt her fingernails almost cutting into her skin.

Robin had also gone silent. He had lowered his face to avoid Regina’s eyes, and his shoulders dropped.

“I shouldn’t have said that,” he muttered after a pause. “Your reasons are as valid as mine.” His voice sounded beaten and he kept avoiding her gaze. “I’m going now ―one of the Duke’s carriages is expected to pass through a path nearby and we are going to ambush it.” He cleared his throat. “Do you still want Zelena and me to meet you this evening? You― you can keep the maps anyway.”

«I don’t want your bloody maps,» Regina wished to say, but she bit her tongue. Angry as she was at Robin, it wasn’t Zelena’s fault. It was bad enough that she had to marry Robin; Regina wasn’t going to make life more difficult for her.

“Do as you please,” she snapped. “Just don’t ruin Zelena’s day.”

Without waiting for an answer, she got up and entered the tavern through the back door. Granny seemed about to ask something when she saw her enter, but on second thought she decided to let it go. Regina swept the kitchen again without being asked to and then went on wiping the counter and the tables, as if by rubbing every surface she could erase the last half an hour ―maybe even the last two days.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you so much to all who have followed, left kudos and/or commented lately! Any interaction (especially the comments, ngl) makes me incredibly happy and makes me want to come back to the story more often (although, sadly, I don't always have the time to do that!)  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter -- please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments!
> 
> xxx

Robin was late again. They were supposed to meet at the crossroads before Granny’s a quarter of an hour earlier, but he hadn’t showed up yet. 

Or course, it wasn’t such a long time, but for Zelena it was a little eternity. For the fifth time she reproached herself for having sent her coachman back home without waiting for Robin to arrive. She knew she wasn’t in danger, but it seemed as if every villager walking past there looked at her with suspicion. They probably guessed she didn’t belong there. Zelena would have liked to wear a less ostentatious dress, of course, but her mother wouldn’t let her wear anything less than what a Locksley would expect. “It’s enough that he takes you walking among the peasants; you don’t have to look like one, too,” she had said dryly, taking away the simple blue dress Zelena had selected at first. Zelena hadn’t argued.

If it wasn’t for the tension of feeling watched, Zelena would have been bored. It occurred to her that she may have got the place wrong ―maybe Robin was waiting for her at a different crossroads, or maybe that wasn’t the time at all and she had arrived an hour too early. Or was she late? Would Robin have left after waiting for her for a long time?

No. She was just being stupid and paranoid. Robin was just late, and there was nothing wrong with that. He had been taking her out for almost a whole month now, and that was only the second time he was late. It wasn’t such a big thing.

Still, she was getting tired of standing there. She gave a longing look to Granny’s tavern. Would it be wrong if she went in again? Regina was working, and she probably didn’t want to get distracted. But she could at least sit there and wait for Robin in a less visible place.

Another passerby crossed the road, all the while examining her from head to foot. As she felt her heart beat faster, Zelena made a decision. With a last glance at the side from which Robin was supposed to come, she walked to the tavern and went in as silently as possible.

***

Regina had been in the kitchen when Zelena came in, but she knew the redhead must have arrived in the last few minutes, for she hadn’t been there a while ago when the bandit had served the last midday meals. She waved her hand to greet her, and the ginger gave her a self-conscious smile in return. Regina approached the table.

“Do you want something to drink? I promise I’ll tell you the real price.”

Zelena smiled somewhat wearily.

“Is it okay if I just have a glass of water?” she asked shyly.

“Of course. Just a second, i’ll bring it to you. There’s some apple pie left if you are hungry, by the way. It’s delicious.”

“No, thank you. I won’t stay for long.”

Regina nodded and went for the water.

“I’ve got to finish washing the dishes,” she told the ginger. “But call me if you need anything.”

“Thank you very much.”

Zelena was still there when she finished doing the dishes. Her glass remained untouched and her shoulders were becoming tenser every minute. Her gaze went from her hands to the door and to her hands again.

Regina sighed and looked around. The tavern was almost empty, everybody was served and the kitchen was clean. From the counter, Granny gave her an encouraging nod. Regina sighed again and went back to the ginger’s table.

“Everything all right?”

Zelena flinched at her voice and gave her an alarmed look.

“Oh, sorry,” she rushed to say when she recognised her. “I didn’t hear you coming. Yes, everything is all right.”

She smiled, but the corners of her mouth failed to lift completely.

The bandit sat on the chair next to her.

“You are waiting for Robin, aren’t you? Is he late again?”

Zelena dropped her head at the question.

“Is it so obvious?” She blushed. “I think― I think he may have forgotten our date.” Her cheeks grew even redder and she looked away. “I’d better go home.”

“Of course not! Robin hasn’t forgotten you.” Regina found herself talking without having a clue of what the hell she was doing, but she kept going anyway. “He was here just a while ago, but he… a messenger came looking for him,” she improvised, surprising even herself. “His father wanted to discuss something with him in person. But he said he would come back as soon as he could.”

Zelena’s eyes brightened when she heard Regina’s words. The brunette would have felt glad for her if she hadn’t been too busy wishing to bump her head against a wall. Where had that come from, and why? The last thing she intended to do was help Robin, and there she was, lying to hide his outlaw activities from his fiancée. Zelena’s relieved face made her smile a bit, though. It suddenly struck her that she was doing exactly the same as the thief: lying to her to avoid hurting her feelings.

The redhead’s words interrupted her before she could get any further into that train of thought.

“You must think me so silly, being always so dependent on what Robin does.”

“That’s not...” Regina began, but Zelena shook her head.

“It’s the truth, you don’t need to be polite. But it’s just... I am not used to any of this,” she gestured vaguely at the tavern “...and I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“Why on earth would you disappoint him?” Regina asked, louder than she had intended.

The other woman seemed surprised by the question, as if the answer was obvious to her. She eyed Regina for a few seconds, and the bandit got the impression that she was trying to decide if she was somehow mocking her. At last, she let out a soft sigh.

“Well, I wasn’t – this isn’t his first engagement. He was supposed to marry another girl. Her name was Marian, they had been engaged for years and she was richer and her lands were exceedingly big – much bigger than my family’s. But then she got ill, and two years ago the poor girl died. So the Locksleys had to find a substitute, and since our lands are neighbouring, they thought of me. Of course, my mother accepted immediately. It was... well, it was a great opportunity for us. Ever since my father died, she has struggled to keep our family’s property together. It hasn’t been easy, and she has had to make a lot of sacrifices to make sure that I’ll have a good future. She is very protective. I simply couldn’t have refused.”

She truly spoke as if no other option was possible. The complete disregard for her own opinion made Regina uneasy in a way she couldn’t very well describe. This was the kind of plots and politics she despised in nobility, and yet she couldn’t find it in her to blame Zelena. Her mind immediately jumped to the next best culprit, although she tried to keep judgement out of her tone.

“And what did Robin have to say about all this?”

Zelena looked away as if she had been caught doing something unworthy.

“He... The truth is – he didn’t know. Our families settled the engagement about a year ago, but Robin didn’t find out until several months after that, because he was abroad during the negotiations. They didn’t tell him until he came back, when everything was already signed. He didn’t have a choice.”

_Oh._

That, Regina realised, changed things. The thief had not told her the full story, and she was now uncomfortably aware of having jumped to conclusions.

Zelena was still looking at her, anxiously waiting for a reaction.

“It doesn’t seem fair,” she said without thinking. What a stupid thing to say, she realised an instant later. Life had never been fair.

The younger woman nodded.

“I know. And it was barely a year after Marian’s death. That is why I am so afraid of disappointing him. I know he didn’t choose to marry me, but at least I would like to – to try to live up to Marian, I suppose. After everything he’s been through, that is the least he deserves.”

“Wait.” Any sympathy for Robin left Regina’s mind at once as she realised the implications of Zelena’s words. “But what about you?” she asked. “You didn’t have a choice either, so why care about disappointing him? Maybe _he_ will disappoint _you_ ,” she added before she could stop herself.

The mere idea seemed to shock Zelena enough to make her vigorously shake her head in disagreement.

“No, how could I ever complain? I have been very lucky. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been told that I would have to marry up in order to save our lands. The idea wasn’t agreeable; I’ve seen many arranged marriages, and they don’t usually end up living happily ever after.”

She made a short pause, and something in her tone made Regina think that she had seen the consequences of an arranged marriage closer than she wanted to admit. She didn’t ask, though.

“But, as I said, I couldn’t stand the idea of disappointing my mother, not to mention the offense it would be to reject the Locksley family. And then, when Robin arrived… Well, he was much better than I had expected. I mean, I knew who he was, but I didn’t think he would be as... nice as he is. I don’t think he remembered me at all; we had seen each other at balls when we were younger, but he was always surrounded by other people. And yet, he has been incredibly kind to me from the beginning. I’m so grateful that he accepted me and didn’t break the engagement ― but sometimes I still fear that he is going to change his mind,” she confessed, blushing again. “That’s why I got so nervous before. What if he decides he doesn’t want to marry me? I know it may sound dramatic, but it would feel as if I’m failing both him and my mother.”

There was a moment of silence as Regina considered how to react to all that new information. Zelena’s cheeks reddened and she fidgeted in her seat.

“Oh, dear, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you listening to me for so long. I don’t even know why I am saying all of this.”

“It’s okay,” Regina cut her off and, as she said it, she realised it really was. Despite her unnerving ability to blame herself for everyone else’s actions, she didn’t mind listening to the redhead. Although, she thought as she struggled to come up with an answer, she didn’t know that she could offer any advice. “It seems that you’ve got a hell of a lot going on in your life right now, but stop making everything your responsibility. And try not to worry: Robin is a smart man; he won’t change his mind. Besides, whatever the case, I am sure that your mother would never be disappointed in you.”

Zelena managed to offer her a small, wavering smile in response, and then her expression changed into a look of relief as she turned her eyes towards the door. Even before following her gaze, Regina knew Robin had finally arrived.

As Zelena got up to meet her fiancé, the bandit suddenly remembered that she had to warn the thief of the lie she had told to cover for his absence. She approached the couple in a rush and forced a nonchalant tone.

“Well, at last,” she greeted, although Robin was still kissing Zelena’s hand. “We were starting to think your father had locked you up in the cellar or something. What did he want from you that was so urgent, if we may enquire? Poor Zelena has been waiting for you for ages!”

She could see, not without a certain satisfaction, how Robin’s expression went from confused to alarmed and then back to a fictitious calmness in just a fraction of a second. The thief was quick to play along.

“Oh, yes, er—I’m terribly sorry. He just wanted to discuss some business… about the limits of the woodland. My father and his exactness—nothing important.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Thank you for waiting for me, my dear... and thank you, Regina, for keeping her company.”

“My pleasure.” Regina sent the thief an icy smile.

“I’m just glad it’s not bad news,” Zelena said, oblivious to the exchange.

“So do I,” muttered Robin.

Regina felt his eyes trying to meet hers and had the certainty that he intended to find a chance to revisit their last conversation, but she resolutely avoided his gaze. She had heard enough about the Locksleys’ marriage plots to last her for a while.

"Well, you've wasted enough time already," she declared in a cheerful tone. "Now go and enjoy your date."


End file.
